This invention relates to methods and apparatus for utilizing centrifugal weights, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for achieving controlled orientations on multiple centrifuging weights rotatably mounted inside a rotating flywheel to achieve controlled mechanical interaction or other effects.
My first pending application, Ser. No. 436,748, filed Jan. 25, 1974 describes a centrifugal weights orienting system which comprises: a flywheel rotating about an axis of rotation; two sliding guides thereon; two weights slidable in the respective guides; and control means for causing the two weights to periodically slide in the two sliding guides during the flywheel rotation and, in particular, to automatically slide into two predetermined positions specifically distant from the axis of rotation at a fixed angular position of the flywheel. Various arrangements, constructions, and controls of the centrifuging weights have also been described therein.
In the invention disclosed in my second copending application, Ser. No. 486,183, filed July 5, 1974, a counterclockwise rotating flywheel is provided with at least two clockwise centrifuging weights disposed spatially relative to each other and rotating about two respective axes normally affixed to the rotating flywheel. A control device is also provided to ensure that the flywheel and the two centrifuging weights are rotating at exactly the same speed and, furthermore, that the two rotating weights are automatically oriented at all times toward a fixed, preset angular direction in space.
While the above-described and incorporated inventions of mine achieve controlled orientation of centrifugal weights, they suffer disadvantages in that the invented machines generally produce heavy vibrations. The vibration problem, however, can be alleviated by having two machines of the same design and quality that are joined together and cycled (180.degree.) oppositely of each other. With this duplex machine structure, the vibrations produced by one machine is exactly balanced or cancelled out by those produced by the other machine. This vibration-cancellation scheme is described in my pending application Ser. No. 486,183, filed July 5, 1974. A new scheme to eliminate this vibration or efficiency problem is an important subject of this invention which is, however, built on, and partly embodies the features given in, these same disclosures already filed in the U.S. Patent Office.